This invention relates to methods of soil and topography surveying and mapping, and more particularly to guiding the location of soil sampling and sensor testing in areas for which pre-existing survey data of various types are available.
Soil information is publicly available in the United States as air photos overlaid with closed boundaries or polygons each enclosing a geographic region or xe2x80x9csoil map unitxe2x80x9d labeled with a number corresponding to a specific subsurface material characteristic reference profile identified in a United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) Soil Survey as a soil series description. Such soil surveys are presently available for over ninety percent of the geographic area of the United States, and other types of soil characterization maps are also available, both for the United States and other geographic regions. In any given field there may be several polygons, each of which bounds a numbered soil map unit. On average, there may be about 5.5 polygons per any 100 acre area. As the number of the soil map unit corresponds to a particular characteristic soil type and profile, many soil map units in a particular area may have identical labels. A table is used in the survey to link each number to a soil series name, and for each soil series name, the Soil Survey contains a text description of a representative soil profile. For example, the listing for the xe2x80x9cDrummer Seriesxe2x80x9d corresponding to soil map unit xe2x80x9c152xe2x80x9d is as follows:
The Drummer series consists of deep, nearly level, poorly drained soils. These soils are in drainageways and in broad, flat areas on uplands. They formed in silty material and in the underlying stratified loamy material.
In a representative profile the surface layer is black and very dark gray silty clay loam about 18 inches thick. The subsoil, about 32 inches thick, is olive-gray and gray to light-gray silty clay loam mottled with strong brown. The underlying material is gray and strong-brown sandy clay loam and silt loam.
These soils are moderately permeable and have high available water capacity. Surface drainage and internal drainage are very slow, and when wet, the soils have low stability. The soils are subject to frequent water-logging and flooding or ponding during periods of run-off. Seasonally the water table is at a depth of less than 2 feet.
These soils are well suited to row crops if they are adequately tile drained. Frequent waterlogging and potential for flooding or ponding are sever limitations for most other uses.
Representative profile of Drummer silty clay loam, 480 feet south and 75 feet west of the N.E. corner of SE1/4 sec. 24, T. 39 N., R. 3 E.
A11xe2x80x940 to 11 inches, black (10YR 2/1) silty clay loam; moderate, fine and very fine, granular structure; friable; neutral; gradual, smooth boundary.
A12xe2x80x9411 to 18 inches, black (10YR 2/1) and very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silty clay loam; weak, fine, subangular blocky structure parting to moderate, fine, granular; friable; neutral; gradual, smooth boundary.
B21gxe2x80x9418 to 29 inches, olive-gray (5Y 5/2) silty clay loam; few, fine, faint, strong-brown (7.5YR 5/6)mottles; moderate, fine, prismatic structure parting to moderate, fine, subangular blocky; firm; neutral; gradual, smooth boundary.
B22gxe2x80x9429 to 50 inches, gray to light-gray (5Y 6/1) and strong-brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate, medium, prismatic structure; firm; neutral; abrupt, smooth boundary.
HC1gxe2x80x9450 to 60 inches, strong-brown (7.5YR 5/8) and gray to light-gray (5Y 6/1) sandy clay loam; massive; friable; mildly alkaline; abrupt, smooth boundary.
HC2gxe2x80x9460 to 78 inches, gray to light-gray (5Y 6/1) and some pinkish-gray (5YR 6/2), brown to dark-brown (7.5YR 4/4) and gray to light-gray (7.5YR 6/0) silt loam; massive; friable; moderately alkaline.
The A horizon ranges from 8 to 20 inches in thickness. The B horizon ranges from 15 to 40 inches in thickness and from silty clay loam to clay loam in texture in the lower part. It is neutral to mildly alkaline. The C horizon ranges from loam to silt loam to sandy clay loam.
Drummer soils are associated with Peotone and Flanagan soils. They have a thinner A horizon than Peotone soils and are more poorly drained than Flanagan soils.
This text-based description of the soil series includes textual soil log information from a representative profile located somewhere in the United States. This soil type and profile information is useful to estimate the soil characteristics of any soil map unit of that soil series (in this case, the Drummer Series number 152) located anywhere in the United States or elsewhere.
These representative profile descriptions typically range from the surface down to about 60 to 80 inches and contain descriptions of horizons or soil layers. Information on horizon depth and thickness and soil attributes is given for each typical soil horizon. This data is at best a representation of what that particular type of soil might look like on average in a typical situation. Thus, at any given location there will be differences between this characteristic information and actual boundary layer depth and thickness, and to some extent the soil content and type within each boundary or horizon. In order to better classify soils for precision management applications, it is sometimes necessary to characterize the actual depth, thickness and content of a particular soil map unit within a field, and all other soil map units contained within that field.
The USDA-NRCS polygons are available currently in digital format for about sixty percent of the United States. In these cases, the soil map unit boundaries and their landscape position can be downloaded from a database accessible through the Internet, or from a CD-Rom or other data storage device. In some cases, the air photo is also available in digital format. However, the text descriptions of the soil series are currently only available in text format that can be read and viewed by an individual, but not readily compared digitally to sample or sensor data. Also, as the description associated with a particular soil series is almost always from a representative soil log taken at a location far from the actual field polygon that is being mapped, various inaccuracies can develop.
The USDA-NRCS is responsible for mapping soils in the United States at a scale referred to as a Second Order Survey. This is typically in a scale range from 1:24,000 to 1:60,000. It is generally understood that such rough scales are not particularly useful for high precision applications, such as agriculture, wetland mapping, construction, watershed, golf course design maintenance, archaeological mapping, environmental site assessments, and such. Methods are needed for more accurately characterizing subsurface conditions in geographic regions previously associated as a whole with a specific subsurface material characteristic reference profile in a USDA-NRCS survey or the like, to make such database information more useful for such precision applications.
The depth and thickness of soil horizons and their properties can vary immensely within a landscape, and even within a given field. If a critical soil property, such as nutrient and water holding capacity or carbon content, is to be assessed within a given field or area, then it is critical that the vertical and horizontal distribution of such properties be determined accurately. When a soil core is collected, the number of sections analyzed in the sample limits the vertical resolution of the soil property assessment at that location. This is due primarily to the high cost and time expenditure associated with soil sample collection, preparation, analysis, and recording procedures. Typically, only a few locations across a landscape are chosen for core sampling, and only a few sample sections are removed from each core for analysis. This limited vertical soil information results in errors when attempting to model the spatial distribution and volume of soil properties across a landscape.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for characterizing subsurface conditions in a selected geographic region previously associated as a whole with a specific subsurface material characteristic reference profile. The method includes deploying a sensing tool at a selected position within the geographic region, with the tool constructed to be responsive to a selected subsurface material attribute, and determining, from a signal received from the deployed tool, a depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic at the selected position. The determined subsurface material characteristic is compared to the subsurface material characteristic reference profile associated with the geographic region to determine a correlation between the subsurface material characteristic reference profile and the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic as determined from the signal received from the deployed tool.
In one approach, the method also includes deciding whether to deploy the tool at another position within said geographic region by considering the correlation determined from said selected position.
In some embodiments, the geographic region corresponds to one bounded area of a patchwork of such bounded areas on a map, each bounded area having an associated subsurface material characteristic reference profile. For example, in a particularly useful method for surveying areas in the United States, the geographic region comprises an individual Soil Map Unit as outlined on an USDA-NRCS Soil Survey map and referenced to the subsurface material characteristic reference profile by the USDA-NRCS Soil Survey map.
In some cases, the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic comprises a digital log of a soil property as a function of depth. In some such cases, comparing the determined subsurface material characteristic to the subsurface material reference characteristic profile associated with the geographic region may include comparing a soil layer boundary depth, as determined from the soil property log, with a reference layer boundary depth as determined from the subsurface material reference characteristic profile.
For some applications, the subsurface material reference characteristic profile comprises a digital reference profile log containing at least about 10 discrete, depth-referenced data points, with the correlation comprising a computed numerical value indicative of degree of similarity between the digital soil property log and the digital reference profile log.
Comparing the determined subsurface material characteristic to the subsurface material reference characteristic profile associated with the geographic region includes, in some cases, comparing soil texture at a selected depth, as determined from the determined subsurface material characteristic, with a reference texture as determined from the subsurface material reference characteristic profile.
For many particularly important applications, deploying the tool includes penetrating soil with the tool to a depth of at least 6 inches, preferably at least 24 inches.
The method preferably includes geo-referencing the selected position to a coordinate system with a Global Positioning System, such as with a GPS transceiver associated with a tool deployment system.
In some embodiments, the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic comprises a log of data taken at multiple depths at the selected position.
The tool, in some cases, is responsive to light reflected from adjacent subsurface material in situ. In such cases, determining the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic preferably includes generating a depth-referenced, rastered image of the subsurface material. A series of images of adjacent subsurface materials may be collected and digitally processed as the tool is forced through the subsurface materials, for example.
In some applications, the method also includes traversing the geographic region while obtaining landscape position and elevation measurements; combining the position and elevation measurements to form a digital elevation model; adjusting a depth reference of the subsurface material characteristic determined at each of several test locations in accordance with the digital elevation model; and then combining the depth reference-adjusted subsurface material characteristics to form a three-dimensional subsurface model of the material characteristic.
In some scenarios, the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic comprises multiple, discrete data points obtained at selected depths at the selected position. The selected depths may be chosen to correspond to soil layers identified in the subsurface material characteristic reference profile associated with the geographic region, for example. The discrete data points are, in some cases, spaced apart in elevation according to soil layer thickness included in the subsurface material characteristic reference profile.
In some cases, the method includes selecting a next tool deployment location within the selected geographic region on a basis of the correlation between the subsurface material characteristic reference profile and the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic.
The method also includes, in some embodiments, deploying a subsurface tool at the next tool deployment location; determining, from a signal received from the deployed subsurface tool, a second depth-referenced soil characteristic; comparing the second depth-referenced soil characteristic to the subsurface soil characteristic profile associated with the geographic region to determine another correlation, between the soil characteristic reference profile and the second depth-referenced soil characteristic; and then selecting a third tool deployment location within the selected geographic region on a basis of both determined correlations.
In some embodiments, the soil attribute sensing tool is deployed in at least three initial positions within the geographic region, to determine a depth-referenced soil characteristic at each of the initial positions. The determined soil characteristics are then compared to each other and to the subsurface soil characteristic reference profile associated with the geographic region to determine a correlation between the depth-referenced soil characteristics at the initial positions, and between the depth-referenced soil characteristics and the soil characteristic reference profile. Preferably, the next tool deployment location within the selected geographic region is selected on a basis of the correlation between the depth-referenced soil characteristics at the initial positions.
The method includes, in some cases, generating a three-dimensional model of the soil characteristic from depth-referenced soil characteristics obtained at multiple positions within the geographic region. Preferably, this model is updated throughout the data collection process as data is generated at additional locations within the geographic region, with the model and/or a confidence value or error estimate associated with the model serving as a basis for determining additional test requirements. Th three-dimensional model may be created digitally using punctual Kriging estimation techniques, for example.
Another aspect of the invention features a method of characterizing subsurface conditions in a selected geographic region previously surveyed to identify discrete zones within the region corresponding to a reference soil series having an associated description of soil layers corresponding to the soil series and soil properties common to each layer. The method includes selecting a test position in each identified zone; deploying a sensing tool at the selected position within the geographic region, with the tool constructed to be responsive to a selected subsurface material attribute; and then determining, from a signal received from the deployed tool, a subsurface material characteristic at multiple, discrete depths corresponding to layer positions described in the reference soil series description.
The method includes, in some applications, comparing the determined subsurface material characteristic to soil layer properties listed in the reference soil series description.
In some particularly useful embodiments, the soil zones correspond to individual Soil Map Units as outlined on an USDA-NRCS Soil Survey map.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of generating first order survey information in an individual Soil Map Unit, as outlined in a map of a USDA-NRCS Soil Survey that establishes an SMU Inclusion Percentage associated with the Soil Map Unit, is provided. The method includes selecting an initial number of positions for tool deployment within the Soil Map Unit, the initial number of selected surface positions being determined as a function of the associated SMU Inclusion Percentage; deploying a subsurface attribute sensing tool to generate subsurface characteristic logs, based on signals received from the deployed tool, at the selected surface positions; identifying a soil boundary layer feature common to the generated subsurface characteristic logs; and calculating an expected depth of the soil boundary layer feature at further surface positions within the bounded area as a function of depth of the soil boundary layer feature in the three selected surface positions and a spatial relationship between the selected surface positions and each further surface position.
The method also includes, in some instances, determining, from a signal received from the deployed subsurface tool, a depth-referenced soil characteristic at each of the selected positions; comparing the determined soil characteristics to a subsurface soil characteristic reference profile associated with the Soil Map Unit to determine an overall correlation between the soil characteristic reference profile and the depth-referenced soil characteristics of the selected positions; and deciding whether to deploy a subsurface tool to determine depth-referenced soil characteristics at another position within the Soil Map Unit by considering the overall correlation.
In some embodiments, the initial number of positions selected for tool deployment is also determined as a function of known Soil Map Unit topographical information, land use information, past agricultural yield information, or other available data. The initial number of positions may be selected automatically, such as by the data acquisition system, and yet modified by user input before tool deployment.
Another aspect of the invention features a method of characterizing subsurface properties of a field. The method includes moving a test platform to the field, the test platform having a tool deployment ram for advancing a probe into topsoil of the field at selected locations while receiving signals back from the probe indicating a subsurface material characteristic; moving the test platform to multiple points along a boundary of the field to define a field perimeter; connecting the test platform to a remote network server over a wireless data link; uploading a reference map segment data request from the test platform to the remote network server, the request including a representation of the defined field perimeter; receiving a reference map segment data packet from the remote network server over the wireless data link, the data packet including a segmented portion of a reference map database covering a geographic area containing the field, with the segmented portion being of extent and location as selected at the remote network server in response to the map segment data request uploaded from the test platform; advancing the probe into the topsoil at a first selected location within the field; recording subsurface material characteristic data received from the advancing probe; and evaluating the recorded material characteristic data by comparing the recorded subsurface material characteristic data with data from the reference map segment data packet.
In some embodiments, the reference map segment data request also includes an indication of an intended use of data obtained by characterizing the subsurface properties. Based on this indication, the remote network server may filter the information to be included in the reference map segment data packet.
In some cases, the wireless data link includes an intermediate server disposed outside the field. In such cases, the intermediate server receives and interprets the reference map segment data request; selects, in response to the request, among particular network map data servers; downloads from each selected server a segmented portion of an associated reference map database; generates the reference map segment data packet; and then downloads the reference map segment data packet to the test platform.
In some embodiments the method includes, after recording subsurface material characteristic data received from the advancing probe, determining further test activity to be performed within the field as a finction of the received data at the first selected location.
Other aspects of the invention feature systems, apparatus and computing systems configured to perform the above methods, data analysis, integration and transfer.
Various aspects of the invention can greatly improve in-field subsurface surveying efficiency over present methods. By building directly upon pre-existing subsurface and other survey data, for example, in-field testing time can be reduced. Further, such techniques offer particular advantage when test planning, reference data integration, sensor data collection and analysis are performed on-the-fly while the test platform is on site, in many cases in the course of a single day. In the United States these methods can take particular advantage of readily available USDA-NRCS Soil Surveys as part of the initial reference data for test planning. Standard computing platforms may be programmed to perform many aspects of these methods in semi-automated fashion, with overall test planning and coordination provided remotely by a trained scientist, and all in-field testing performed by a field operator following simple directions, making better use of human resources. The user is also able to integrate real-time sensor data with pre-existing data for a chosen site, thus increasing sampling strategy flexibility as the site is characterized. An on-the-fly material sampling routine can be advantageously integrated with the data acquisition methods described herein. Various aspects of the invention are particularly useful for precision applications, economically producing the survey information needed for precision agriculture, wetland mapping, construction, watershed evaluation, golf course design maintenance, etc.